Adjustable holder for ash trays and the like



Jan. 29, 1952 A ROBINS ADJUSTABLE HOLDER FOR ASH TRAYS AND THE LIKE 5 JNVENTOR. f 2700.47" @a/Ns gmmmm l- Patented Jan. 29, 1952 :i i

OFFICE V ADJUSTABLE HOLDER FOR ASH TRAYS AND THE LIKE Adolf Robins, White Plains, N. Y.

Application March 15, 1948, Serial No. 14,848

6 Claims. (Cl. 248-316) The present invention is directed to ash trays or the like, and more particularly for a holder of such a character that it may be readily attached to the arm of a chair or similar piece of furniture and be adaptable to various sizes of arms.

A number of devices have heretofore been proposed for holding ash trays in position so as to avoid accidental tipping of the same. In one such device there was a holder having pins or the like as a part thereof, which pins were intended to be inserted into the upholstery of a piece of furniture. This was impractical in that the fabric was injured and in the case of leather furniture it was still further disadvantageous in that it resulted usually in a tearing of the leather. It has also been proposed to provide a holder with rubber or the like suction cups, whereby the ash tray might be attached to various surfaces. However, such surfaces must be impervious and relatively at so that such devices were not at all applicable to up-4 holstered furniture.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome such difficulties and disadvantages of the prior art, it being among the objects of the present invention to provide a holder for ash trays, drinking glasses or the like which may be attached to the arm of a piece of furniture, whether upholstered ornot, and be held thereon against accidental displacement.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a holder of the type described which is readily and automatically adjustable for different widths ofarms andfor various shapes of articles of furniture. I

Itis still further among the objects of the present invention to provide such a holder, which is composed essentially of stampings and suitable material, either metal or plastic or both, which may be very readily assembled to vprovide a Workable unit.

In practicing the present invention there is provided a pair of at leg members, parallel to each other and integral with slides which are nested together and held in a suitable passageway. In said passageway is a coil or other spring so arranged as to tend to draw said leg members together and thus to cause the same to frictionally engage the sides of the arm of a piece of furniture. Clip members are provided on the base of the device which forms the upper surface of the passageway and an ash tray or the like may be held by said clip members. By such an arrangement the ash tray may be readily inserted or removed from the holder. At the same time, because of the slide and spring arrangement the device may be readily adapted to various uses and positions.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a holder for an ash tray or the like made in accordance with the present invention and shown in position on the arm of a seat or the like;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the ash tray removed from position and some parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the position of the spring in the passageway;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of Fig. 3.

With reference to the drawing, flat member having a horizontal lower edge constitutes one of the leg members and it is integral with a slide 2 at right angles to said leg. A similar leg 3 is integral with a slide 4 so that slides 2 and 4 nest with each other. Legs I and 3 `embrace the sides of arm 5 of a seat or the like. Base S consisting of a ilat plate has depending sides 'I and in-turned ends 8 and 9 which do not meet. The space I enclosed by said elements constitutes a passageway for slides 2 and 4.

Clip plate Il in contact with the underside of base 6 has vertical clips I2 on opposite sides thereof terminating in hook members I3. An as tray I4 is held on opposite sides by clips I2 and hook I3.

Bottom plate I5 is in contact with in-turned ends 8 and 9 and extends upwardly on. both sides of passageway I0 as shown at I6 terminating in clips I'I and I8 which have hook members I9 on the ends thereof. Clips I'I and I8 are oppositely positioned and are at right angles to clips I2. They insure retaining ash tray I4 in position.

Slide 2 has a tongue 20 shown in Fig. 4, extending towards the right and having its end curled upwardly to form a holding means 2| for one side of a coil spring 22. A retainer 23 is provided on the left hand side of slide 4 so that the ends 24 of coil spring 22 may be retained therein. Slide 4 has a slot 25 therein extending from the right of said slide to a point adjacent to retainer 23. Slide 2 contacts with the underside of slide I and tongue 20 and holder 2| ex- Y tending into said slot.

In the operation of the device, the asembly is made by'providing the base 6, slipping slides 2 and 4 in position and inserting spring 22, as shown in Fig. 4. Bottom plate l5 and clip plate H are placed in position and the ash tray inserted between the clips. In operation, one grasps legs l and 2, pulling themsuiciently apart so that arm 5-may be embraced thereby and upon release of the legs, spring 22 causes said legs to firmly grip the sides of arm 5 automatically'- Y Because of the flat'members l and 3, a rm grip over a wide area of the arm is obtained, thereby rendering the ash tray stable in position. No injury to the upholstery is possible. If it is desired to remove the ash tray, the holder is grasped and lifted directly upward without any danger of spilling the contents of the ash tray. Because of the presence of the two slides and the spring arrangement, the device is adapted for many widths and forms of seat arms.

Although the invention has been described setting forthV a single specic embodiment thereof, many changes in the detailsof operation of the invention may be made within the principles hereinl set forth. For instance, the form of the leg members. I and 3 may be varied greatly from that shown although it is desirable that the lower edge thereof be horizontal so that the ash tray may be placed upon an ordinary table or lilre surface. The number of parts maybe reduced by consolidation of the functions vof several parts into a Vsingle element. The form and size of the several elements may be varied at will and the materials of construction may be any of those suitable for the purpose, but preferably sheet metal or sheet plastic material is used. Coil spring 22 may be replaced by other forms of spring to accomplish a similar result.

These and other changes in the details of the invention may be made within the spirit thereof and the invention is therefore to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

Iclaim: f

1. A holder for an ash tray vor the like comprising a flat base,` upstanding opposed end clips thereon adapted to retain an ash tray, a passageway open at both ends formed in said base, a pair of slides nesting in said passageway, each slide having a depending leg, said legs adapted to embrace the arm or" a seatvor the like, and means in said passageway for resiliently drawing said legs together.

2. A holder for an ash tray or the like comprising a fiat base, upstanding opposed end clips thereon adapted'to retain an ash tray, a passageway open at both ends formedin said base, a pair of slides nesting in said passageway, each slide having a depending leg, said legs adapted to embrace the armY of a seat or the like, a cover plate on the bottom of said passageway having upstanding'side members terminating Yin side Vclips for said tray, and means in said passageway prising a flat base, upstanding opposed end clips thereon adapted to retain an ash tray, a passageway open at both ends formed in said base, a pair of slides nesting in said passageway, each slide having a depending leg, said legs adapted to embrace the arm of a seat or the like, and means in said passageway for resiliently drawing said legs together including fa spring attached to both of said slides and adapted to be placed under tension when said legs are separated.

4. A'holder for an ash tray or the like comprising a fiat base, upstanding opposed end clips thereon adapted to retain an ash tray, a passageway open at both ends formed in said base, a

pair of slides nesting in said passageway, each slide having a depending leg, said legs adapted to embrace the farm of a seat or the like, and means in said passageway for resiliently drawing said legs together including a spring attached Vto both of said slides and adapted to be placed under tension when'said legs are separated, said spring being a circular coil spring.

5. A holder for anV ash tray or the like ycornprising a flat base, upstanding opposed end clips thereon adapted to retain an ash tray, a passageway open at both ends formed in said base, a pair of slides nesting in said passageway, each slide having a depending leg, said legs adapted to embrace the arm of a seat or the like, and means in said passageway for resiliently drawing said legs together including a spring attached to both of said slides and adapted to be placed under tension when said legs are separated, said spring being a circular coil spring, a slot in one of said slides, a tongue on said second slide extending into said slot, a retainer for said spring on the end of said tongue, said second slide being under said. first slide.

6. A holder forv an ash tray or the like comprising a flat base, upstanding opposed end clipsl thereon adapted to retain 'ank ash tray, a passage- .way open` at both ends formed in said base, a

pair of slides nesting in said passageway, each slide having a depending leg, said legs adapted to embrace the arm of a seat or the like, and means in said passageway for resiliently drawing said legs together including a spring attached to both of said slides and adapted. to be placed under tension` when said legs are separated, said spring -being a circular coil spring, a slot in one of said slides, a tongue on said second slide extending into said slot, a retainer for said spring on the end of said tongue, said second slide being under said rst slide, said spring abutting against the end of said first slide and said tongue forming a reverse curve in said spring.

ADOLF ROBINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordv in' the l'e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '755,403 Sipe Mar. 22, 1904 1,727,569 Shell Sept. 10, 1929 1,801,637 Nichols c Apr. 2l, 1931 2,048,105 Cobbs July 2l, 1936 

